Denver Broncos

The struggling Denver Broncos may be in line for some serious changes this offseason.

According to Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post, "There is a mounting consensus that [head coach Nathaniel Hackett] will not be back—'They can't sell that to their fans in 2023,' one GM said—and three executives I spoke to all believe that front office changes are more likely than not in Denver."

La Canfora added that the job security of general manager George Paton, in particular, has been called into question by folks around the NFL.

Hackett, 42, was hired in January to take over for Vic Fangio, who spent three seasons as the team's head coach and never led them to a winning record. The hope was that Hackett, after tenures as the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2013-14), Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-18) and Green Bay Packers (2019-21), could help transition Denver's offense alongside new quarterback Russell Wilson.

Instead, the results have been nothing short of a disaster.

The 3-9 Broncos rank last in the NFL in scoring (13.8 PPG) and 27th in yards (315.2 YPG). They've only scored 17 or more points in two or more games. To put that in perspective, their upcoming opponents, the Kansas City Chiefs, haven't been held to less than 17 points in a single game this season.

This is amazing. The Broncos' ineptitude on offense is really hard to believe. https://t.co/sDWW03KMwb

— Frank Schwab (@YahooSchwab) December 5, 2022

The result has been eight losses in their last nine games.

Wilson in particular has been bad, throwing for 2,558 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions in 11 games while completing 60.1 percent of his passes. The decision to both trade for him and sign him to a five-year, $242.5 million day does not look good in hindsight.

That doesn't bode well for Paton. The general results on the field don't bode well for Hackett. If major changes come for the Broncos this offseason, it won't come as much of a surprise to anyone.

The Denver Broncos don't plan on making a change at quarterback amid Russell Wilson's ongoing struggles, at least at the moment.

Head coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters on Wednesday that Wilson won't be benched "right now" as the team looks to find answers for its disappointing offense.

The Broncos are in an almost impossible situation with Wilson right now. They have so much invested in him that it's in their best interest to see if he can play his way out of this season-long slump.

It's also in Hackett's best interest to see if he can work with Wilson to turn things around. There have already been several rumors and reports about his future as Broncos head coach amid the team's 3-8 start,

Peter King wrote in his Football Morning in America column this week that he will be "extremely surprised" if Hackett isn't one-and-done in Denver.

There may not be anything Hackett can do to save his job at this point. Barring a dramatic turnaround and a lot of help from other teams in the AFC, the Broncos are going to miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.

The Broncos offense under Hackett and with Wilson at quarterback is on pace to be the lowest-scoring unit in the NFL since 2000:

The Broncos scored 10 points today, falling to the Panthers 23-10.

Denver is now down to 14.27 points per game this season, the worst by any team in the NFL since the 2000 Browns (10.1).

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 27, 2022

Wilson signed a five-year, $245 million contract extension with the Broncos in August that doesn't even begin until the 2024 season. He has dead-cap hits of $107 million in 2023 and $85 million in 2024, per Spotrac.

After being one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL during his 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson has fallen off a cliff in his first year in Denver. The 34-year-old is completing 58.9 percent of his attempts for 2,369 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 starts.

If Hackett does want to bench Wilson, Brett Rypien is the Broncos' backup quarterback. He started against the New York Jets in Week 7 when Wilson was out with a hamstring injury.

Rypien went 24-of-46 for 225 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in a 16-9 loss.

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson has faced much scrutiny for his lackluster performance on the field, but amid the team's three-game losing streak, he's also facing questions about his status off the field.

Wilson, who was seen being yelled at on the sidelines by defensive tackle Mike Purcell during Sunday's 23-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers, told reporters on Wednesday that he believes his relationship with his teammates is perfectly fine.

"I’ve got great relationships in that locker room," he said. "Whoever is trying to tear that down, you can’t. … There’s always noise, especially when things aren’t going the way you want them to."

Things haven't gone as planned since Denver acquired Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in a blockbuster trade that cost it three players and five draft picks, and then rewarded him with a $245 million contract extension before he ever took a snap for the team. The Broncos are in the midst of a disastrous season and sit in last place in the AFC West with a 3-8 record.

Wilson's play has not come close to meeting expectations, as the nine-time Pro Bowl selection has thrown for just 2,369 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He has failed to develop chemistry with Denver's receivers, leading to an inept offense that ranks 25th in the league with an average of 319.1 yards per game.

The team fell under even more of a microscope after Purcell's sideline blowup. Both Purcell and Wilson downplayed the exchange as "frustration" after the game, but it likely indicated a deeper issue facing the Broncos.

Broncos lineman Mike Purcell is not happy with Russell Wilson

(via @NFLonFOX)pic.twitter.com/MaIMgbxYcm

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 27, 2022

While Wilson believes his standing with his teammates is intact, Mike Klis of 9News reported that his 34th birthday celebration on Tuesday night was attended by "about half the team."

The Broncos will try to end their skid when they visit the Baltimore Ravens (7-4) on Sunday.

Denver Broncos star Russell Wilson downplayed the significance to what appeared to be a testy moment with teammate Mike Purcell.

Wilson told reporters after a 23-10 defeat to the Carolina Panthers that he and Purcell are "on the same page" and that "there's no animosity there at all."

#Broncos Wilson on sideline exchange with Purcell. Said there is no issue between them #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/YWgcUMFWBK

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) November 27, 2022

Purcell and the Broncos defense were coming off the field following a Panthers field goal when he approached Wilson and was very animated. Wilson explained it as the nose tackle saying the Broncos "gotta f'in go."

Broncos lineman Mike Purcell is not happy with Russell Wilson

(via @NFLonFOX)pic.twitter.com/MaIMgbxYcm

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 27, 2022

Purcell addressed the incident as well. He said he was generally frustrated and looking to motivate the offense with the team trailing 20-3.

Mike Purcell on heated exchange with Russell Wilson. pic.twitter.com/jDVAcaOVJz

— Rod Mackey (@RodMackeySports) November 27, 2022

Wilson's and Purcell's postgame comments offer a plausible narrative. Emotions can boil over when a team is on its way to losing its eighth game, and Purcell may simply have been trying to light a fire under Wilson and a sputtering offense.

For those watching, however, it was a moment that carried a larger significance.

That locker room is 100% divided, and now we could see it publicly That exchange between Purcell and Wilson will be all over social media and talked about for the next week. If you weren’t gonna fire Hackett before its pretty much impossible not to now after that. #BroncosCountry

— Orlando Franklin (@OFranklin74) November 27, 2022

Trading for Wilson and handing him a five-year, $242.6 million extension might work out for Denver, but this year has been an unabashed flop so far.

Entering Sunday, the nine-time Pro Bowler was on pace to set career lows in completion percentage (59.5), passer rating (83.3) and QBR (32.6), per Pro Football Reference.

Because Wilson is misfiring so badly, the efforts of the defense are being wasted. The Broncos were allowing the third-fewest yards (302.1 per game) and second-fewest points (17.1 per game) through 10 games. Football Outsiders ranked them fifth in defensive efficiency.

And what does the defense have to show for all of that? A 3-8 record.

Blaming Wilson alone would be unfair, but he's supposed to be the franchise quarterback who lifts Denver over the top.

More than that, the 33-year-old might not be leading by example. Former offensive lineman Tyler Polumbus reported on Nov. 16 that Wilson wasn't always in agreement with head coach Nathaniel Hackett about the offense's philosophy and play-calling. Polumbus added the signal-caller is also "using audibles from the Seahawks" and "using codewords that guys don't know what the codewords are."

For better or worse, the Broncos are wedded to Wilson for the foreseeable future because of his massive contract. Right now, both sides are probably wishing they could fast-forward to the offseason and start fresh.

Former Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III has cleared waivers and is now a free agent, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Broncos waived Gordon on Monday following an overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in which he recorded his fifth fumble of the season. He fumbled at the two-yard line just before halftime, though the Broncos recovered.

Gordon rushed for 318 yards and two touchdowns on 90 carries in 10 games for the Broncos this season. He also caught 25 passes for 223 yards.

The 29-year-old signed with the Broncos in March 2020 after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. He had an impressive 2020 season, rushing for 986 yards and nine touchdowns, in addition to catching 32 passes for 158 yards and a score.

Gordon also had a productive 2021 campaign, having rushed for 918 yards and eight touchdowns on 203 carries in 16 games, in addition to catching 28 passes for 213 yards and two scores.

However, the two-time Pro Bowler's performance this season wasn't up to par, and now the Broncos will turn to Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack moving forward. Chase Edmonds is expected to miss time with an ankle injury.

Murray has rushed for 209 yards and three touchdowns on 63 carries in five games with the Broncos. Mack, meanwhile, has yet to appear in a game for the Broncos this year.

Denver is fourth in the AFC West with a 3-7 record and will travel to face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Russell Wilson is a nine-time Pro Bowler who has been victorious in 65 percent of his career starts and is thus well on track to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But basically all of the quarterback's achievements came during a 10-year run with the Seattle Seahawks.

This year, as a member of the Denver Broncos, he's seen it all come crashing down.

Remarkably, following a fourth consecutive mediocre performance in a 17-10 Week 10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and with a divisional matchup against the desperate Las Vegas Raiders on the Week 11 horizon, Wilson is the NFL's eighth-lowest-rated qualified passer. Only four quarterbacks have thrown fewer touchdown passes per attempt, and only oft-maligned Carolina Panthers signal-caller Baker Mayfield has a lower qualified completion rate.

From an advanced standpoint, the 11-year veteran is also a bottom-10 quarterback in terms of both DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) and DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) at Football Outsiders. And despite a strong arm and a clutch reputation, he hasn't been any better than his baseline numbers on deep balls or third downs.

On top of all that, he came under fire this week from former Broncos offensive lineman Tyler Polumbus, who said Wilson is "using audibles from the Seahawks."

"The guys don't know the audibles," Polumbus added on Denver's FM 92.5. "He's using code words that the guys don't know."

Naturally, the Broncos—who were the focus of much hype entering 2022—are practically toast at 3-6, wasting a relatively cheap season ($17 million cap hit) in their new franchise quarterback's prime.

Is it the transition to a new offense with green coaches? Is it that the oft-beaten-up signal-caller is hitting a wall on the verge of his 34th birthday? Maybe a little of Column A, a little of Column B?

Regardless, it's fair to wonder if the one-time Super Bowl champ will ever be the same.

If a bright side exists, it's that Wilson has led three fourth-quarter comebacks and three game-winning drives in 2022. If not for those, the Broncos would be winless.

So it's not as though he's lost everything that made him special in Seattle. But it's still not even close to enough, and it's not as though he enjoyed substantially more support there than he has in Colorado.

Per Pro Football Reference, nobody has been under more pass-rushing pressure than Wilson this season, and only Justin Fields and Joe Burrow have taken more sacks. But only a handful of quarterbacks were pressured more than him last season in Seattle, and his under-pressure numbers were similarly ugly in 2020, 2019 and 2018.

In fact, during his time with the Seahawks, Wilson was sacked more frequently than any other quarterback who made at least 60 starts over that 10-year period—and by quite a wide margin.

Meanwhile, only three qualified quarterbacks have benefited from more yards after the catch per completion than Wilson has this season—although that number can sometimes be indicative of smart quarterback play as well.

Regardless, while he surely misses standout wide receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf from his previous home, the drop-off to Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy doesn't explain much, and there doesn't appear to be a drop-off at all regarding pass protection.

Plenty of quarterbacks have excelled well into their late 30s, if not early 40s. But few or any took as much abuse as Wilson has during the last 11 years. He could simply be hitting a wall in his mid-30s, just as Ben Roethlisberger, Dan Marino and Joe Montana did.

The new environment is undoubtedly a factor, but did that slow down an even older Tom Brady when he jumped from New England to Tampa Bay? Peyton Manning didn't miss much of a beat in his transition from Indianapolis to Denver, and just last year we witnessed a Super Bowl-level move from Detroit to the Los Angeles Rams for Matthew Stafford.

So that alone doesn't excuse Wilson's play in 2022. You have to wonder if we're seeing a version of what happened to Donovan McNabb, who, like Wilson, was a Pro Bowler in his age-33 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, was a mess in his age-34 campaign with Washington and was out of the league soon after that.

Sure, maybe this adjustment has been more difficult than expected because Wilson was so ingrained in the processes in Seattle, where he had one head coach the entire decade he was there.

The callout from Polumbus hints at that, and it's fair to assume he'll become more acclimated with time. It doesn't help that Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett is new to that role as well, or that offensive coordinator Justin Outten is also working with that title for the first time in his career.

There were bound to be growing pains, but the gap between what we're seeing and what's expected of Wilson is quite massive. And in the next three years alone, he's slated to cost the Broncos $112.8 million, per Spotrac. As his cap hits grow, it will become more difficult for management to surround him with better or even similar talent.

"I've been down before," Wilson said in a Monday press conference. "It doesn't mean that we can't come out on the other end of it all."

He's right, but he hasn't been down to this extent and at this age. Eventually, you don't "come out on the other end of it all," and the reality is it's possible we've seen the best of one of this generation's most impressive quarterbacks.

---

Statistics via Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.

Denver Broncos linebacker Aaron Patrick is suing a number of parties, including the NFL, Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN and a mat company, for a series of decisions that he believes led to the torn ACL he suffered during an Oct. 17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

TMZ Sports obtained the lawsuit that is for unspecified damages that include lost bonuses and future earning potential for the 25-year-old.

Patrick's momentum carried him off the field and into the sideline area when he was attempting to make a tackle on a punt return during the Monday Night Football game. In an effort to avoid an NFL official who was monitoring television timeouts, Patrick said he stepped on mats that were covering up NFL instant replay monitor cords and cables.

According to the lawsuit, stepping on the mats caused his knee to bend and the ACL tear that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the campaign.

His attorney, William M. Berman from Berman & Riedel, released a statement:

"Player safety should be the foremost of importance to the NFL and its owners. The NFL is a multibillion-dollar sports enterprise and business, and it needs to do everything possible to protect its players from non-contact game injuries.

"As for Patrick's injuries, SoFi Stadium was built at a $5,000,000,000 expense; the stadium should have the state-of-the-art equipment to protect for player safety, and not use the type of $100 mats that you would expect to see in a restaurant kitchen."

Patrick finished that game, which was a 19-16 victory for the Chargers, with one tackle.

The Eastern Kentucky product appeared in 12 games for the Broncos last season as well as five games this season before suffering the injury.

Player safety at SoFi Stadium has been a concern at times this season with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp among those who have raised issues about the artificial turf playing surface.

Their comments came after Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf and Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson each suffered patellar injuries on non-contact plays during a game at the stadium.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy reportedly was diagnosed with a "mild" ankle injury after undergoing an MRI. His status for a Week 11 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders has yet to be determined.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the news Monday, a day after Jeudy was ruled out after he injured his ankle in the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans and was carted back to the locker room.

From NFL Now: Following his MRI, #Broncos get good news on WR Jerry Jeudy. It's a mild ankle injury, sources say. His status for this week has not yet been determined, but they received promising results. pic.twitter.com/WHw82qOF1W

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 14, 2022

This wasn't the first time Jeudy has been sidelined this year. The 2020 first-round pick was ruled day-to-day with a chest/sternum injury following Denver's 16-9 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 2. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters immediately after the game he had undergone X-rays on his ribs, and he ultimately didn't miss any time.

The Broncos made one of the NFL's biggest trades this offseason when they acquired Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. They subsequently gave Wilson a five-year, $242.6 million extension.

That level of aggression toward upgrading at quarterback wasn't matched at the receiver position. The wideout room largely remains unchanged from a year ago.

Denver was clearly banking on Jeudy taking a step forward following an underwhelming 2021 season. He caught 38 passes for 467 yards in 2021 and missed seven games, largely because of a high ankle sprain.

Jeudy's importance only increased after the Broncos lost Tim Patrick for the year because of a torn ACL. Losing him for any stretch would force Wilson to be even more reliant on Courtland Sutton.

Denver Broncos wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy were projected to take a major leap this season, but the pair has fallen short of expectations. As the fantasy football trade deadline approaches, let's take a look at how managers should try to recoup some assets.

Sutton leads Denver with 35 receptions, 467 yards and 62 targets, but he has reached the end zone just once this year. Jeudy has caught a team-high three touchdowns to go with 30 catches for 449 yards on 54 targets.

After the Broncos acquired nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason, many expected the team to have a high-powered offense predicated on a potent passing attack. However, Wilson has failed to develop chemistry with his new crop of pass-catchers through the first half of the season. Tim Patrick's season-ending torn ACL in training camp didn't help matters, either.

Both Sutton and Jeudy can be considered WR2, at best, but even that might be wishful thinking that the Broncos offense will turn things around in the second half of the year. Neither of them can be depended on to produce each week in a Denver offense that lacks any consistency.

Fantasy managers would be best served attaching Sutton or Jeudy to another player as part of package to land a bigger star. A straight-up trade for one of the receivers isn't likely to secure a difference-maker in return.

There's also the option of holding on to either player and riding it out for the rest of the season. The Broncos will try to make a late push toward the playoffs, which could lead to a pass-happy offense in the second half of the year.

If more opportunities open up for Jeudy and Sutton, fantasy managers will be rewarded for their steadfast belief in them. But if Denver's offensive struggles continue, what's a little more disappointment on top of the massive regret already felt for drafting them in the first place?

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson responded Wednesday to apparent criticism from Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll about not wearing a play-calling wristband during his time in Seattle.

Russell Wilson on play-call sheet on wrist band: “Won a lot of games. Didn’t know winning or losing mattered whether you wore a wrist band.” #9sports pic.twitter.com/XZ7IqlK7gK

— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) November 9, 2022

Carroll didn't mention Wilson by name during his comments Monday on Seattle Sports 710 AM, which were centered on the Seahawks offense's success under Geno Smith, Wilson's replacement.

"If you notice, Geno's going off the wristband, and that's a big help," Carroll said. "It's smoothed things out, sped things up, cleaned things up. And that's part of it, too. We never did that before. There was resistance to that, so we didn't do that before."

The Broncos-Seahawks dynamic has been one of the NFL's most interesting storylines during the first half of the 2022 season.

When the blockbuster trade happened in March, Wilson was viewed as the missing piece for Denver, which was expected to emerge as a serious contender in the loaded AFC West.

Not only have the Broncos not taken a leap forward, owning a 3-5 record, but their offense has even dipped compared to last year. They rank 20th in total offense (328.9 yards per game), a slight decline from when they finished 19th in 2021 (330.5 yards per game).

However, Wilson expressed confidence after an Oct. 30 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team's most recent game prior to its bye week, that things were about to turn around.

"In every season I've ever played, there's a moment in time where it clicks," he told reporters. "Hopefully, that will be the start of it."

For now, though, Denver is one of the most disappointing teams at the halfway mark.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks are one of the NFL's biggest surprises with a 6-3 record heading into a Week 10 clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Smith is enjoying an unexpected resurgence, completing 73.1 percent of his passes for 2,199 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions across nine games. He's added 196 rushing yards and one score on the ground.

The 32-year-old journeyman ranks fourth in ESPN's Total QBR (68.0), 24 spots ahead of Wilson (36.0), which is something few, if any, could have predicted before the campaign.

Clearly, the split between Wilson and the Seahawks was less than amicable, and that narrative has persisted throughout the season, previously popping up after Seattle's season-opening win over Denver when Carroll said the victory was "really rewarding" for the quarterback's former teammates.

"Eh, you figure that out," Carroll said when asked why it meant so much. "But it was really meaningful and they really wanted it and I knew we were playing for a lot more than just the regular stuff. We have a real connection with the history. ... They feel it and they love the fact that they played here and they love seeing us do well."

It's far too early to declare a winner from the offseason trade, especially since Wilson is under contract through 2028, but early returns are trending favorably for the Seahawks.